


I Will Follow You Into the Dark

by Betsy_Boop



Series: Remington State University 'Verse [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abusive Fathers, And schmoop, Castiel and Dean are besties, Castiel's brothers are dickbags too, Dean and Cas grew up together, F/M, I'll explain it in the next one, I'm leaving myself open for another addition, John Winchester is a dickbag father, John Winchester is a homophobic dickbag, M/M, Mechanic Dean Winchester, Mutual Pining, Nurse Meg, Pining Sam, Professor Castiel, Professor Sam, Promise, Protective Bobby Singer, Remington State University Au, Slow Burn, Tattooed Cas, brief mention of abuse, but I needed to write some feelings, but no smut, oh clarence, past abusive relationships, professor meg, punk!Cas, see if you can guess, some homophobic language, this has FEELS, those wings mean something, which is weird for me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 08:59:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4781495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Betsy_Boop/pseuds/Betsy_Boop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dr. Sam Wesson, English professor at Remington State University has it bad for one of the groundskeepers at the school who seems to be doing everything in his power to avoid him- except introducing Sam to his best friends and his family. See them navigate the ups and downs of the Holiday season together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Will Follow You Into the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Ok lovelies! Here's the part two I didn't know I was going to write. Unbeta'd and barely read through, I'm not claiming to keep very well to the first part. This can be read as a stand alone but it makes more sense if you read the first one. They're short, I promise. :) 
> 
> Thanks to Death Cab for the title, and to the CW for their characters, whom I do not own and stand to make no monetary gain from. The things that happen to them are all me, though. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Chapter 1: September 11th, around 1pm

Sam stood away from the other teachers during the Memorial services so his students could see him out of their periphery during their presentations. He’d helped some of the kids in his freshman literature classes put together a touching collection of patriotic poetry (but really, Charlie and Kevin just needed his office more than his guidance) and now he flashed a thumbs up to the red head bouncing in the wings of the stage. 

The grounds were beautiful, the weather was unseasonably mild and comfortable, a slight breeze kept the vast amount of flags fluttering gracefully; it was Norman Rockwell level perfect and Sam’s chest swelled with pride when his students took the stage. Just then, a warm body appeared next to him. Dean didn’t say anything, and his proximity was not overly friendly or unpropitious, but Sam’s entire left side lit up with sparks anyway. When Kevin and Charlie finished and everyone was applauding and a good portion of the guests were watery eyed, Dean spoke.  
“Wow, Doc. You helped them put that together?” He asked softly  
“Hardly. I was just the supervisor and a free spot in the library. They’re the talent here.” Sam beamed like they were his own children, and something clenched in Dean’s chest at the pride in Sam’s eyes.  
“You know, I tried to find you again yesterday afternoon, but Garth said you’d gone home already.” Sam ventured as the crowd swirled around them to enjoy the food. The festivities wouldn’t really pick up again until sun started going down. Dean looked up at him and flashed a shy smile.  
“Yeah, I had some stuff to do of off campus before we put the final touches on all this last night.” Dean stuffed his hands in his pockets and toed at the ground with his boot. “My timeline got a little derailed yesterday afternoon.” 

Sam’s colour rose on his cheeks.  
“To be fair, I’m pretty sure you started it.” He was grinning like an idiot when Dean looked back up at him.  
“Listen, I’m not really the hook-up once kind of guy…” Sam faltered when a pained expression dashed across Dean’s features, “I’d really like to take you out before any of that happens again..” 

Dean fiddled with the button tab on his pristine white work shirt, hunter green Remington State logo just enough to catch the intense green of his eyes. He did not, under any circumstance, want to get involved with another teacher. It was too painful the last time, and yesterday was a huge mistake. He’d actually been hoping Sam would want to forget the whole ordeal and just go back to being friends. He could live with jerking off in the shower thinking about the tall professor’s big hands on him and how he tasted and here he is, screwing everything up again. 

“Actually.” Dean cleared his throat and looked Sam dead in the eyes, his posture squared up and resolute, “I don’t ‘date.’ Especially not other faculty. I’m sorry, yesterday was a mistake on my part. I’ll get you your shirt back and we can forget it ever happened.” 

Sam was speechless. He run and hand through his long brown hair and Dean involuntarily bit his lip. When Sam looked back at him, his eyes were shiny and Dean really wanted to take back what he said. 

“Ok.” Sam sounded deflated a bit, but Dean had a point. He hadn’t really been at this school long enough to make any sort of waves. “I… yeah, you’re probably right.” He darted his tongue over his lips, almost certain he saw Dean’s resolve wavering. “Still, we can hang out, right? I mean, you’re still the only friend I’ve made here that isn’t a student.” 

Dean let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. Well. That was that then. He grinned back at Sam. 

“Sure thing, Doc. I’m starving, there’s free food everywhere, and I have some people you need to meet.” Dean turned and started walking towards one of the tents where the food was and Sam had to shake himself because he hadn’t noticed how Dean’s legs bowed out just a bit when he walked. 

Chapter 2: A Few Hours Later

Sam had never laughed so hard in his life.  
He was sitting beside Meg Masters, the director of the nursing and medical science department. Her husband Castiel, who taught physics and religious studies sat across from them on the picnic table with Dean. When questioned about his odd combination of subjects, Meg answered for him saying, “He’s just a unicorn among donkeys, eh, Clarence?” Cas just rolled his eyes affectionately. They were sickening, really, in the best possible way.  
Currently, Dean and Cas were recounting some awful thing they did when they were in high school, Meg and Sam laughing very loudly as they passed the narrative and the blame for getting caught putting plastic wrap on the girl’s toilets between them. Castiel was apparently not the average nerd and after some prodding from Meg and Dean, rolled up his sleeves and pulled the top few buttons of his shirt open so to show off some impressive tattoos. Sam gave a low whistle.  
“The impressive ones are on his back.” Meg smirked. “Dean drew these amazing black, like, angel wings one time and Cassie got them tattooed.” Dean’s face flushed beet red and he looked down quickly. Same raised his eyebrows and looked at Cas.  
“Dean is a very talented artist, Sam. You should get him to show you his work.” The gravelly voiced man looked fondly at his best friend, “He has a tendency to sell himself short, though, so keep after him.”  
“Cas!” Dean was really blushing now and Sam wanted very badly to kiss him.  
He checked his watch.  
“The evening portion is about to get going, we better go claim a spot before the good fireworks seats are taken.”  
“Good idea,” Castiel jumped up and motioned for Meg to come with him, “We’ve got some blankets in the car to sit on, you two go find us a spot.” and they walked off arm in arm. 

Dean still hadn’t looked Sam in the eye. 

“Hey. You don’t mind me sitting with you guys do you? You’ve more than extended enough kindness to me for one day.”  
Dean smiled warmly at him.  
“Of course you can sit with us. Just don’t ditch us for the Plastics or anything.”  
“Dude, did you just make a Mean Girls reference?” Sam stared at Dean, shocked.  
“You got it, didn’t you?” Dean raised his eyebrows suggestively, “come on, Doc, let’s go find someplace to sit.” 

 

Chapter 2 1/2 : During the Fireworks

“Dean.” Castiel’s deep voice quietly shook him from his reverie.  
“Yeah, Cas?”  
“Do you know what you’re doing? with Sam? Are you ready for this again?”  
Dean sighed and looked back up at the bright colors exploding in the sky. Meg had Sam by the elbow, telling him some gruesome story from her ER days about a firework injury. It all seemed so easy, like Sam really could just fit perfectly into his life, and it hadn’t even been 48 hours yet. He propped up on his elbows and answered without looking at Cas.  
“He’s nothing like Alistair, Cas. You’ve talked to him, what do you think?”  
“I think he’s exceptional,” Cas clapped his hand to Dean’s shoulder and forced him to look back, “and you deserve exceptional. I just don’t want you rushing into something you aren’t prepared for.”

The final crack of the fireworks faded out and the people around them started packing up their things. Meg and Sam wandered back to where Cas and Dean were sitting.  
“Deanie-weenie, please keep this one around? He actually likes my stories! Besides, he’s the prettiest Moose I ever did see.” She flopped down next to Castiel and kissed his cheek. “The crowd has thinned out enough now you can show Sammy your wings!” 

Dean liked Meg. He really did. But she had no idea how to read a room. Sam was looking at Dean with this wild, unreadable thing going on in his eyes, even though his face was calm. Dean’s pretty sure his freckles have disappeared into the deep red of his blush and Castiel… well Castiel really only has one outward emotional setting. He unbuttoned his shirt and lifted his vest over his head, revealing a long expanse of pale, surprisingly fit skin. Both arms were covered in full sleeves, dragons and symbols and mythical beasts swirled in magnificent black and grey. Cas turned around and and flexed his shoulder blades apart, spreading his back wide and Sam’s breath caught. There, in dark ink, spanning the from the acrimonial point of his shoulders to just below where his waistband hung low on his slim hips, were the most intricately detailed and breathtaking wings Sam had ever seen. He would’ve sworn, had he reached out to touch them, he would’ve felt the softness of downy feathers and not Cas’s skin. Cas turned and pulled his shirt back down.  
“I told you he was talented.” Cas smiled down at Dean.  
“Well, I mean that’s mostly on the actual artist, she’s the one who made it look that realistic. All I did was maybe give you the idea.” Dean was very pointedly not looking at anyone.  
“We have the original drawing, stolen straight from Dean’s sketchbook, in a frame at our house. Why don’t you guys come to dinner tomorrow night and I’ll show you.” Meg looked at Sam expectantly.  
“I couldn’t possibly, I mean, you guys have already been so-” Sam started, Meg cut him off with a motion of her hand.  
“Sorry, I don’t take no for an answer. Try again.”  
“She really will persist.” Dean piped up.  
“Then.. yes?” Sam shrugged.  
“Groovy!” Meg squeezed his hand and held on to Castiel again. “Clarence here is quite the cook.” 

And with that, the tornado that is Meg and Castiel was gone, leaving Sam and Dean to stand awkwardly, not looking at each other as hard as they could. 

 

Chapter 3: September 12, after the dinner party

As breathtaking as Castiel’s tattoo is, it can’t hold a candle to the drawings of the wings they stole from Dean. Castiel really is an amazing cook; Dean is just as shy about his talent when he’s tipsy on red wine as he is sober, and Meg is possibly the sassiest person on the planet. Sam feels high when he steps out onto the street and into the cool night air. It’s after midnight, and he decides the 10 block walk back to his apartment will help clear his head. 

He’s got it bad. For Dean, for the little family unit Dean created for himself. While helping Cas in the kitchen (Meg and Dean were yelling at the football game in the sitting room) he’d learned just a glimpse more about how Dean and Cas grew up. Rough neighborhood, absent fathers, raised themselves and got arrested a couple times too many. But they’d had each other, when Cas got accepted into the University of Michigan, Dean moved with him and they lived off Dean’s income as a mechanic and Cas’s financial aid. Dean’s dad had gotten really sick, pneumonia, and Dean went back to take care of him. After he died, Dean floated around for a while, eventually finding the landscaping job at Remington, near where his uncle worked. All Cas would say was it was a dark time for both of them, but Cas got a teaching job at Remington and here they were. 

Sam was still going over all these new Dean facts, trying to figure out why he couldn’t just wrap him up and keep him forever. One hookup and a couple nights with his friends and Sam was this gone already? He shook his head. He’d gotten pathetic in his old age. Just then he felt the air beside him get warmer, and Dean appeared again, falling into step. 

They walked in silence for little while. It was comfortable, but heavy. Sam wanted him so badly, his head was still a little foggy from the wine he wasn’t used to drinking and being this close to Dean made his whole body feel raw with need. 

“Hey, Sam?” Dean said hesitantly, not breaking stride.  
“Yeah?”  
“What I said the other day, about not getting involved with other faculty, I, um. I didn’t expect to see you again.” The words spilled out of Dean a little less graciously then he’d hoped for. “I thought you’d prefer to forget about it and you were just being nice to me.” He shrugged and went silent again. Sam stopped walking, they were only a half a block from his building now anyway.  
“Just being nice?” He sounded incredulous, “I’ve had a crush on you since the first time I saw you, Dean!”  
“Yeah, well, that’s why I hooked up with you.” Dean snapped. “I wanted to, and I figured you needed to get the slumming out of your system before you got too rooted in your spot here and started sleeping with the students like everyone else.” 

Sam gaped at him. “Do you think that little of me, now? Now that you’ve spent time with me, do you honestly think I would ever do something like that to you? to anyone?” his voice was rising a little, but honestly, here he was on the brink of professing his love to the guy and Dean accuses him of this? Not to mention what he was insinuating about himself. 

Dean clenched his jaw and his fists at his side. “It isn’t worth your reputation to have to come out to the whole school because you got a blowjob from the janitor.” Dean practically spit the words out through gritted teeth. 

Sam grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and pulled Dean flush against him, Dean looked startled for a second before the annoyance rose back up his features. 

“You listen to me, Dean Winchester. So help me God, I’ll put a banner on my office door that says “Sam loves Dean” if that’s what you want me to do.” Dean was looking up at him wide eyed, the green of his irises nearly swallowed up by pupils, even in the low light of the street lamp, “And don’t ever let me hear you refer to yourself as slumming. Never again. You’re so much more than that, and I’d shout it from the top of the library, if I needed to.” Sam let go of his jacket and brought one of his big hands up to Dean’s cheek and stroked across the freckled expanse. “But I’d wait, too. I’ve got it bad for you, Dean. I want to know you, and I will be right here when you’re ready to let me in.” 

Sam pressed the softest kiss to Dean’s forehead and took a step back, feeling utterly bereft, but he had a point to make. Dean just stared at him for a long moment and then turned and walked back the way they came without saying a word. Sam thought for a second that he might cry. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dean’s head hung low as he recounted his exchange with Sam to Castiel. 

“My face still feels like it’s on fire, Cas. What’s with all the ‘I’ll wait for you’ bullshit, huh? What does he think we’re in some Victorian romance novel? I can’t make heads or tails of him.” 

Castiel perched on the arm of Dean’s chair and absently stroked between his shoulder blades.  
“What are you afraid of, Dean? Do you think he’ll turn into Alistair once you say yes to him?”  
“He doesn’t seem like the type but… I don’t know if I can take that kind of humiliation again.” His eyes were damp and puffy when he looked up into Cas’s dark blue eyes, “what do I do?” Cas pressed a chaste kiss to the top of Dean’s head and stood up, his gaze was hard, the dad face, Dean called it when they were younger. It hit him how many times they’d had a similar conversations, how many times Cas had saved him and put him back together. 

“You need to protect yourself, Dean. If he’s still around when you’re ready, maybe you can try again.”  
“Thanks, Cas.” From the look on his friend’s face, Dean wasn’t sure he’d ever said that before. 

 

Chapter 4: October 17th

Midterms were finally over. Sam found himself sitting on the floor in his apartment’s living room with a small mountain of papers beside him. Meg was sprawled on the floor across from him, frowning at her iPad, presumably reading the results from the nursing students’ practical exams. They’d decided to camp out together to finish grading mid terms while Castiel was out of town for a conference. 

Sam and Meg had been spending a lot of time together, lunch most days and she’d swing by during his office hours to pester him if he wasn’t busy. Castiel was less available, but he’d invited Sam for dinner a few more times and they’d had fun. Dean, however was noticeably absent from all their gatherings. 

Sam got up the nerve to ask about him once at dinner, but the air immediately turned cold around them and Meg and Cas neither one had much to say other than he’d been busy. Sam took this to mean he’d overstepped that night and scared him off. Great job, Wesson. 

Meg suddenly looked up from her iPad,  
“Do you have plans for Halloween?”  
“Not particularly. The rate this grading is going, I won’t be done till Thanksgiving.”  
“Come to the house. We’ll marathon some scary movies and drink ourselves silly.” She paused, “Dean will be there, he never misses the opportunity to laugh at Cas for being scared with me.”  
“You sure he’s going to want me crashing the party? He’s been avoiding me like the plague for a month now.” Sam looked up from the essay in his lap. Meg’s expression softened and she patted Sam’s leg in an uncharacteristically maternal gesture.  
“Just come by the house. And bring gummy worms.”

Chapter 5: Halloween

Sam smiled down at the parcel in his arms and he crossed the street to the Novack/Masters house. Their stoop cheerily dressed for halloween with the necessary two lopsided pumpkins and a witch that looked like she flew through the front door. He let himself in and kicked his boots off inside the door, noticing a familiar pair of motorcycle boots next to Cas’s gardening clogs. His chest tightened, he was happy to see Dean, but he was afraid of the possibility of awkward. He took a steadying breath and headed for the sitting room, looking to present his gift to Meg. 

Meg sitting cross legged on the floor with Dean sorting through the DVDs in their case, presumably looking for something for the marathon, but it sounded more like they were arguing over the merits of Bruce Willis. Again. 

Sam stood in the doorway for just a moment taking in the view, since they hadn’t noticed him yet. Dean’s long legs bracketed Meg on either side, head resting on her shoulder even as they argued. The summer blonde of his hair was slowly being overtaken by the light brown beneath it, His black t shirt smoothed over strong shoulders. He looked so young and really so beautiful it made Sam’s chest hurt again. He decided he’d stared long enough and burst into the room with his package over his head.  
“The god of candy has arrived!” He said plunking the bag down on the coffee table.  
Dean turned to see what he brought and his green eyes went wide.  
“Is that whole thing gummy worms?”  
“Yep. 5 pounds of em.” Sam was beaming.  
Meg scrambled off the floor to the bag and immediately tried to rip it open.  
“Dean, give me your knife, we have worms to liberate!”  
Dean chuckled and flicked his pocket knife open and handed it to her. He stood up and stretched, t shirt riding up just enough to expose a strip of tan skin above the waistband of his jeans. Sam was caught off guard and sucked in a breath. What caught his eye was a flash of red before Dean lowered his arms.  
“Y’alright there, Moose?” The nickname felt good on his tongue.  
“I.. uhh.. nothing.” Sam could feel the blush on his neck, praying to anyone who’d listen that his collar covered it. He looked back up at Dean and smiled. “So, how ya been?” 

xxxxxxXXXXXXXxxxxxxx

 

Somehow, they’d settled on watching all of the Halloween movies, once it came to light that Sam had never seen them. Sam helped Castiel arrange the actual food around the vat of gummy worms on the coffee table, while Dean and Meg executed the creation of an honest to god blanket fort around the couch. Sam laughed at them so hard he was crying. 

“Meg, how in God’s name are we all supposed to fit? You’ve got three men over 6 feet tall to shove in there!” 

Everyone burst into hysterical laughter at the innuendo and miraculously, the did manage to fit in there pretty well. Meg and Dean were tucked in the middle, Castiel cuddled up alongside Meg, and Sam scootched in behind Dean. It was warm and cozy and he couldn’t imagine a better place to put up with terrible scary movies and listen to Meg and Dean bicker the whole time. 

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dean woke up with a start, he was too hot, he didn’t know where he was, and there were bodies everywhere. When his senses came back he realized that Castiel and Meg were snoring softly beside him and that the huge hand on his hip, fingers grazing the skin where his t shirt rucked up, belonged to Sam. His heart rate went haywire and he tried to keep his breathing as steady as possible, so not to wake the giant sleeping behind him. He stole a glance at the clock, 5am. They all had to work this morning, and they needed to get themselves sorted. He took one last moment to savor Sam’s hand on him before he stirred.

Instinctively, Sam’s grip on him tightened when he moved and the bigger guy pulled him, by the hip, right up against him and snuffed in his hair. It tickled. 

Dean looked pleadingly at the ceiling of their fort, begging the strength not to lie there and settle back into the human heater currently stroking his hip. Digging up all his strength, he sat up, startling everyone in the fort awake. Dean strode quickly into the kitchen to make coffee, because 3 hungover professors who were all too old to spend the night on the living room floor before work would need as much artificial energy as possible. He just needed something to do with his hands before he exploded out of his skin from the fire Sam left on his hip. 

 

Chapter 6: The Wednesday before Thanksgiving

The past few weeks had been a blur of papers and gearing up for finals. He’d only gotten to see Meg once since Halloween, her nursing students needing her practically every hour of the day. He sat in on one of Cas’s religion classes as an assistant, teaching the history of King James and the literary perspective on the Bible. Sam loved watching Cas teach, his deep, rough voice was oddly soothing and when he got really excited about something he was talking about, he’d run his hands through his hair and it would stick out in 15 different directions. He wore a suit and tie, every day, without fail.  
As he left the library through the back door by his office, he heard a familiar voice humming Kansas. Even in November, there was Dean. Carefully tending the mums that now lived in the flower beds, singing to them under his breath. He was clad in light blue coveralls today, his hair solid brown now, and only the slightest of his tan hanging on to his cheeks.  
Sam sidled up beside him and perched on the edge of the bed. Dean looked up at him and smiled the big, toothy grin Sam remembered from first meeting him. His chest started to ache. He smiled back, but at a lower wattage.  
“How ya been?” Dean asked, going back to the flowers he was pruning.  
“Busy.” Sam laughed, “Finals season is rolling around and I’m having trouble keeping all my students on track.”  
Dean hummed a reply and they continued on in heavy silence for a few beats. 

“You getting to see Meg and Cas any?” Dean ventured.  
“Barely, I helped Cas with a class last week, and I’ve only seen Meg for lunch once since Halloween.” Bringing it up made their mood drop a few notches, but Sam pressed on. “You?”  
Dean straightened and took off his gloves, stretching his arms behind him.  
“Was over there a few nights ago for dinner. They came by Bobby’s a couple weeks ago to see him. You haven’t met my uncle yet, have you?” Sam shook his head.  
“You’d like him. He’s like me n’Meg smushed into a grumpy old man.” 

They laughed over the thought and their eyes caught. They stared at each other for a long moment. Sam stood up and gathered his bag. He could do without the mixed signals. He had enough on his plate getting through Thanksgiving alone.  
“You got plans for Turkey Day, Dr. Moose?” Dean asked, did Sam here hope in his voice?  
“Sitting in my apartment grading papers.” Sam grinned. “The glamorous life of higher education.”  
“Oh hell no!” Dean fished his wallet out of his back pocket, “Here’s the address to Bobby’s. He and Jody will have enough food for twenty people. Garth will be there, and if you show up, which you better, I’ll have someone to talk to besides him.”  
“What about Meg and Cas, I figured you’d be with them.” Sam took the card and tucked it into his bag.  
“Oh no, Cas’s brothers are going to be in town and I want no part of that circus. They’ve only just started talking again and the last time I saw the oldest one, I got arrested.” A dark look crossed Dean’s face for a second and was replaced with a very sincere smile, “I know shit’s been weird with us lately, but no one needs to spend Thanksgiving alone. I really do want you to come.” A little color dusted over his cheeks, Dean gave Sam a little wave and headed toward the landscaping shed with this tool pail. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later that night, Dean was sitting on the island in Cas’s kitchen with a beer in his hand while Cas cut up vegetables for tomorrow’s festivities. He picked at the label on his beer, an anxious tick he’d had since they were kids.  
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Cas? I mean, he’s been doing alright without me around so far, I don’t think he missed me that much. He was drunk when he said all that stuff before anyway…” Castiel pressed a finger to Dean’s lips and looked him in the eye.  
“Dean Winchester, you’re my best friend, and I love you unconditionally, but I need you to get your head out of your ass for a few minutes.”  
Dean stared back at his friend. “What?” Castiel let out a longsuffering sigh.  
“When you walked away from him, he thinks you rejected him. Rightly so, I might add. You vanished. Every time we invited him here, he’s been disappointed to see you didn’t come to. He even asked Meg what he did wrong.” Castiel looked at him pointedly, “So I need you to decide what you want here. I believe he’d wait out the apocalypse for you, Dean, but he at least deserves to know his waiting isn’t in vain.” 

And with that, Castiel Novack turned away from his stunned best friend and continued chopping bell peppers. Cas had never called him out on his behavior before. Normally, he was overly protective of Dean’s feelings, if anything. Dean slid off the island and padded out of the kitchen. 

 

Chapter 6: Thanksgiving Day

To meet Bobby Singer is to meet Dean Winchester at 60. If he hadn’t been told, Sam would’ve never believed they weren’t blood related.  
“Family don’t end in blood, boy.” Bobby had gruffed at him before handing him a beer and making room for him on the sofa between himself and Dean to watch the game. And that was it. Easy as apple pie, Bobby and his girlfriend Jody accepted a stranger into their home on Thanksgiving day because that’s just the kind of people they were. 

 

Over roasted chicken and green bean casserole, Bobby and Jody took turns grilling Sam on everything from why he chose to teach at Remington (honestly, he was lucky to get a job anywhere and he needed to get away from California), his family (No dad, his mom, Ellen, and sister, Jo, died in a house fire just before he graduated college), to his preference between cats and dogs (Dogs, obviously).

Sam was sitting back at the table, watching Dean and the man who practically raised Dean and Castiel argue over football, he felt warm inside. Like this is what families did. This was the most love he’d felt in a room in a long time. He really wished that Meg and Cas were here, and he sent up a silent prayer for Cas’s sanity with his brothers. 

Later, he was standing outside on the back porch in the chilly sunset when Jody came out and sat down on the steps, patting the space beside her.  
“Park it, Sammy.” She smiled up at him. He normally hated nicknames of any sort, but since he’d met this menagerie of people Dean loved, he didn’t seem to mind so much.  
“What’s on your mind, Jody?”  
“I want to know what your intentions are with my baby boy in there.” She looked off into the middle distance in front of her. “I’ve known him since he was about 3 years old. That was the first time I arrested his dad and had to bring him here to stay with Bobby. It was constant after that. I eventually helped Bobby get custody of him, when he was 10. His dad, John, went off the radar for a while after that…” She frowned at something but kept going, still not looking at Sam. “I’ve been as invested in that boy as I would’ve been my own son, Sam. I’ve seen some bad shit happen to him over his lifetime that I haven’t been able to fix. I just need to know you aren’t gonna be another thing to happen to him.” She finally turned to look at Sam. 

“Jody.. I would never hurt Dean. But we’re not, like, we’re not together or anything. We’re just friends.” Sam shrugged, “I just like that you’ve all sort of taken me in.” 

Jody reached out to squeeze Sam’s hand. Her eyes were still sad, but she was smiling.  
“I only told you about Dean as a kid because I know he won’t. Do you think he just brings random people home with him out of the goodness of his heart? Do you think he shares Castiel with anyone but Meg? Hell he barely let us talk to Cas when they were kids and he lived here.” Sam was a bit taken aback. He had just assumed Dean was that kind to everyone. 

“Dean’s a good man, but he’s not always like this, Sam. He’s let you into some pretty personal parts of his life. I just want you to recognize what a gesture he’s making.” Jody patted his hand and stood up. “And if you break his heart, remember I’m the sheriff and I will make you disappear.” 

She was smiling again, but he knew that statement brooked no argument. 

 

Chapter 7: Finals Week

Everyone at Remington was feeling the pull of the final few days left of school. The students were packed up to go home, everyone was waiting for that final exam to be turned in. Sam’s last one was handed in at 1:43 pm on Friday. He’d been pulling ridiculous hours to grade everything before today, so all he had left to do was turn them over to the office and he was free for 3 weeks. 

At 1:47, Charlie and Kevin burst into his office and gave him hugs before they trekked back to Chicago together. 

At 2:20, he finished grading the last final. 

At 3:15 he walked out of his boss’s office, ready to go home and sleep for at least 3 days. 

At 3:16 He walked straight into Dean Winchester. 

Dean looked rough. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy, like he’d been crying. Sam dropped his bag and pulled Dean into a tight hug, no preamble. He half expected him to pull away but Dean buried his head in Sam’s neck and let out a shaky breath. Sam stroked the back of his neck with one hand and held him tight with the other. 

After a minute or two, Dean got himself back under control and stepped out of Sam’s embrace, but hung on to his elbow.  
“It’s Bobby. He’s… oh god, he’s in the hospital and not doing so well.” Dean managed to get out, gripping tight to Sam’s arm. “I’m going to tell my boss I need some time off.” 

Sam grabbed his bag off the ground and put a reassuring hand on the small of Dean’s back.  
“I’ll go with you.” 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dean and Sam sat in the family room of the Critical Care Unit where Bobby was being treated. Jody was in the room with him, but they only allowed one visitor at a time. He was stable but critical. Meg and Castiel had left to go find them food. The four of them were planning to be here for the duration, so they’d staked a claim on the one couch in the room with two bariatric sized chairs near it. Thankfully, Sam and Dean were big enough to take up most of that space on their own. Sam’s long legs were cast over the two chairs and Dean stretched over the couch. 

Dean lolled his head to the side to face Sam, just looking at him for a bit while he played with this phone.  
“Hey Sam..” Dean said quietly.  
“Yeah, Dean?”  
“Thanks.” He rolled back onto his back and stared at the ceiling.  
“You’re welcome. I can’t imagine how this must feel for you, but I’d never let you be here alone.” Sam felt some wetness well up behind his eyes but pushed it back down. Dean needed him to be strong.  
“I mean… for everything. For sticking around for so long. I…” Dean swallowed hard but Sam knew he wasn’t done, so he stayed quiet. “I didn’t believe you, at first. We hooked up and I kept waiting for you to get bored or fed up and leave and now…” Dean needed some more time to get the tremble out of his voice, “here you are, camping out in a hospital with me instead of enjoying your break from school.” 

Sam let that moment hang between them for a moment. He wanted to hold Dean. Kiss him and tell him everything was going to be ok. But he didn’t have permission to do that. Instead he got up from the chairs he was guarding and went over to the couch where Dean was and sat down on the floor by his head and grabbed his hand and squeezed.  
“Whatever happens, with Bobby, with us, I’ll always be here for you.”  
Dean squeezed his hand back and didn’t let go. Sam tipped his head back onto the sofa cushion and they dozed off together, like that, until Meg and Castiel reappeared with food and pillows and blankets. Much like their Halloween blanket fort, Meg managed to make the most of their arrangement, pulling the chairs close enough to the couch the longer legged Sam and Castiel could stretch out, providing laps for hers and Dean’s heads. That night, Jody fell asleep holding Bobby’s hand and Dean fell asleep surrounded by people who loved him.

Chapter 8: December 23rd

They brought Bobby home from the hospital on Christmas Eve, still too weak to stand up on his own, but he’d gotten a wheelchair to use until his therapy started after the first of the year. Dean immediately nicknamed him Hot Wheels and everything but Bobby’s legs was back to normal. Castiel immediately started cooking while they got Bobby and Jody settled into the living room. 

Meg had been by while they were away to keep the place clean and do laundry and what not so Jody had clean uniforms and a little less stress. Once Bobby came back around, she’d gone back to work and Dean and Castiel took turns staying with him during the day or if she got called during the night. Sam stayed on hand in the waiting room and made sure Dean ate and had clean clothes and showered occasionally. 

Dean seemed to be fizzing. All of his electrons were in hyperdrive, and he was getting in the way. Castiel kissed him on the cheek and banished him from the kitchen, He helped Meg finish up the spindly little tree, and finally bumped into Sam, on the back porch, where it was way too cold to be sitting in shirt sleeves. Especially for a guy from Berkley. He sat down next to Sam on the top step and tapped on Sam’s temple.  
“What’s going on in there, doc?” Dean asked amicably.  
“Just thinking about what a difference a year can make.” Sam took a long drink of beer. “Last Christmas I was alone; no family, girlfriend dumped me, no friends that cared enough to check on me..” he laughed bitterly and took another sip from his beer. In the madness of the last few weeks, Dean had forgotten about Sam’s mom and sister. They’d died the week before Christmas just a couple years ago while he was away at school.  
“And this year?” Dean was hesitant, they’d been so preoccupied with Bobby and Jody he was afraid Sam felt neglected again.  
“This year I have you.” He looked deep into Dean’s eyes when he said it. “Dean you saved me. From a pretty destructive path, too. You shared your friends with me, your family; Dean, you’ve let me into every crevice of your life. How could I ask for anything more than that?” 

Dean stared at him in disbelief. It wasn’t on purpose that Sam had become so integral to his life, but every place he turned, Sam just fit. Seamlessly, like his whole life he’d been carving giant, Sam-sized holes in his world so that when that tall, gorgeous, wonderful man walked into his life, Dean would be ready for him. A small smile spread across Dean’s lips.  
“Ya know, Sammy, I…”  
“Dinner’s ready!” Meg chimed through the door behind them.  
Moment over, Sam and Dean chuckled to themselves on as they followed Meg into the house, shoulders bumping together in the doorway. 

Castiel had an amazing spread laid out on the kitchen table. Garth appeared out of the shop, he’d been handling the salvage yard while Bobby was sick, Dean helping when it wasn’t his day to sit with Bobby. Jody passed out beers. Castiel and Sam laughed quietly at the “good china” they’d be eating off of; paper plates complete with festive holly border. They served themselves and gathered in the sitting room with Bobby, balancing heaping plates on knees and every available flat surface. 

It was like everyone was finally able to breath for the first time since Bobby got sick. Meg tried to better explain the infection that had taken the use of his legs, but no one really wanted to hear it. What they did like hearing was Dr. Crowley was one of the best physicians in the hospital system and he would definitely get Bobby walking again, come Hell or high water. 

Sam was relieved to see no one had bothered with presents this year. They’d all been so busy worrying over Bobby and Jody it slipped their collective minds. Jody and Dean left on a beer run and Cas and Meg started cleaning up the kitchen which left Sam in the living room with Bobby. 

Bobby narrowed his eyes at Sam and suddenly Sam felt like he was in trouble for something.  
“Do you love him, son?” Bobby’s gruff voice sounded strange around such a sentiment.  
Sam thought about it for a second. The obvious answer was yes, but he wasn’t sure what Bobby wanted to hear. He decided it was best to tell him the truth. The older man may not be able to walk right now, but there were guns all over this house and Sam felt justified in his fear.  
“Yes, sir. I love him very much.” Sam said quietly.  
“Good. I don’t wanna hear about you breaking his heart, ya hear me, boy? Dean’s every bit my son even if I ain’t his daddy, and he means the world to me. I like you, but if you hurt him I’ll pump you so full of holes Swiss cheese will be jealous.” 

Sam sat there wide eyed for a second before Meg breezed through to gather their plates.  
“Don’t worry, Sam, I got the same speech on Cas’s behalf too. Just be glad he didn’t pull you aside at the wedding like he did me.” She kissed Bobby on the cheek and he called grunted affectionately. 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 9: about 1am

They got Bobby settled in the downstairs bedroom just after midnight, and Jody said goodnight too. Meg and Castiel went up to Cas and Dean’s old bedroom to stay the night, since none of them were in any shape to drive the hour back into town. Sam and Dean were sitting on the couch, leaned into opposite corners staring into the fireplace and telling each other stories. 

Sam opened up about his girlfriend, Madison, leaving him for some guy she met online. He told Dean about his mom and his sister, the tense relationship he’d had with them after he left for college. Dean pulled Sam’s legs over his own and started massaging his feet through his socks. Sam melted into Dean’s strong fingers and the intimacy of the gesture. Their conversation lulled for a while, Sam actually dozed off. Dean’s voice roused him, he was speaking just above a whisper, shiny eyes fixed on the fire, fingers still pressing into Sam’s arches.  
“When I moved back from Michigan, I thought everything with my dad was different. I’d only seen him a handful of times growing up. He’d show up here drunk and angry and he and Bobby would fight. He’d come get me out of bed and we’d drive for a few days. I used to worship him, till I got a little older and instead of taking me with him on the road he’d get me out of bed and beat the shit out of me.” Dean’s voice cracked and he took a steadying breath, not daring to look at Sam, who was almost in tears too, “Castiel moved in with us when we were 8, his brothers let him stay the weekend with me and then never came back to get him. And at the time, Bobby was working 3 jobs to take care of us. Jody came by all the time, made sure we were fed and clean and did our homework. He never blinked an eye about Cas staying here. I guess he knew how much we needed him. And each other.” A tear forced it’s way down Dean’s cheek, he quickly wiped it away. “Anyway, where I was going with that was Cas and I shared the room upstairs. There was only one bed, but you know, kids, didn’t matter to us. First time my dad came to get me after Cas got here he drags us both out of bed and hit cas across the face; left one hell of a bruise. ‘No son of mine’s gonna be a goddamned faggot’.” Dean chuckled bitterly and absently started stroking up Sam’s leg a bit. “We were just kids.. anyway I screamed at him to leave Cas alone and I hit him. He beat me to a pulp that night, probably would’ve killed us both if Bobby and Jody hadn’t saved us. Broken arm, broken collarbone, bruised ribs, the whole 9. I didn’t see or hear from him again until he called me from some pissant nursing home just outside of Lawrence, dying of pneumonia, wanted to set the air between us right. So like an idiot I went. It wasn’t any different, but seeing him so pathetic… I forgave him. He did himself in and it served the old bastard right.” 

Sam swung around so that Dean’s legs were in Sam’s lap, taking over as foot massager so Dean could keep telling his story. Dean groaned when Sam’s hands wrapped around his foot and pressed his thumbs deep into his arch. The noise went straight through Sam. 

“Anyway, uh, after Dad died I went back to Michigan to see Cas but his oldest brother, Michael had taken the opportunity to swoop in and try and take him back into their family. They’re father left Cas some money when he died, and Cas was finally old enough to access it, so of course those vultures started circling. When Michael tried to throw me out Cas gave me the same look he did when my dad hit him, so I jumped him. Got arrested, but Michael dropped the charges when Castiel handed over his inheritance. I was so mad at him for giving all that up just to get me out of jail… “ Dean had to take a long moment to recollect himself, “I was so mad, I left him again. Came back here, got the job at the school. I started seeing the director of your department. He’s gone now, but his name was Alistair. He knew just how to get to me. Made me feel special, said all the right things, even spoke to the part of me that still hated being gay. I fell hard, about a month after we started dating, he got ugly. Violent, degrading, convinced me I didn’t deserve kindness or anything from anyone. And I believed him.” Dean let out a long breath. “Castiel got a job here without telling me. He saved me from Alistair, got me sober again, got Alitair fired for inappropriate conduct- he was sleeping with a bunch of the female students too; he put me back together. I did get a reprimand from the school, though. No dating other staff.” He looked sheepishly up at Sam, “So that wasn’t just me being evasive. I’m really not supposed to be romantically involved with anyone else from Remington. Guess that didn’t work, did it?”

Green eyes stared deep into hazel, flickering dangerously in the firelight. This was it. Sam’s heart was pounding in his ears, he needed time to process the horror story that had been Dean’s life up to now and all he wanted was to hold him close and not let him go. So he did.  
He laid down along the back of the couch and pulled dean into his arms, back to chest, just like Halloween. Sam kissed Dean’s cheek and wrapped him in a tight embrace. Dean’s tears were silently setting themselves free and Sam held him through all of it. 

They fell asleep there, but Dean turned in his sleep so he had his nose buried in Sam’s neck, their knees tangled up impossibly. 

 

Chapter 10: Happy New Year!

The week since Christmas had been a whirlwind. Sam, Cas, and Meg had practically moved in with Bobby and Jody. Dean quit his job at Remington to run Singer Salvage, since Garth had to go back. Meg took over full time care for Bobby’s at home therapy so Jody could go to work with relative peace of mind. Castiel was the happiest he’d been in a long time, he finally had his whole family in one place where he could tut over them and keep the household running like clockwork. Sam floated between them, offering his assistance wherever he could. 

On New Year’s Day, he and Dean were in the shop, Dean working on his beloved 67 Chevy. Sam was sitting on a nearby stool, listening to Dean hum while he worked. Suddenly he raised up from his task and looked at Sam, his eyes firey. 

“I’m such a fucking idiot!” Dean tossed the wrench in his hand back in the tool pail and wiped his greasy hands on his jeans. Sam swallowed hard, and Dean crowded right into his space.  
“Why are you an idiot?” Sam breathed, their lips just a few inches apart.  
“I don’t work at Remington State anymore.”  
“No, you’re the manager of Singer Salvage… what does that… oh.” Sam gulped again. Dean’s gaze looked damn near predatory.  
“You’ve waited this long, Sammy. Still interested?” Dean somehow got closer, but they still weren’t touching.  
“Interested doesn’t even begin to cover it, Dean.”  
Dean surged up on his toes and kissed Sam hard. His fingers tangled in Sam’s long hair, their bodies slotting together like they’d been carved from the same block. Once the initial split second of shock dissipated, Sam remembered to participate and he kissed back, equally hard. His hands found Dean’s hips and anchored him to Sam’s body. Their tongues twisted and explored like this was their first kiss, and really, as far as Sam was concerned, this was the only one that mattered. 

 

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> What a ride, huh? 
> 
> There's going to be a part three about Castiel and Dean's teenage years and how Meg and Cas meet, and hopefully that will clear up some of the muddiness I left here. The wings on Castiel's back have more meaning than just a nod to the show, but it didn't have a place in this story. I dropped a hint, 10 points to your house if you catch it. 
> 
>  
> 
> When I sat down to write this, it was supposed to be a porny one shot in the same 'verse and as you already know, there's no porn whatsoever. I intend to add some, but it'll be off by itself so those of you who don't want to read smut can just skip that addition. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Leave kudos if you like, I'd ADORE comments, good or bad. 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr @FigmentsofFiction! 
> 
> Xoxo, Betsey


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